Vol State History Professor Named Davidson County Historian

Submitted on March 10, 2011 at 9:20 AM

Volunteer State Community College History Professor Carole Bucy has been named the Historian for Davidson County. She replaces John Connelly who is retiring after 16 years in the position. Recommendations for the position were made to Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, who appointed Dr. Bucy to the position. The Metropolitan Council approved the appointment.

Dr. Bucy is considered to be an expert in the history of the Metropolitan Nashville Charter, which formed a metropolitan government for Nashville and Davidson County in 1963, after much debate. The complete metro government consolidation was one of the first of its kind in the nation and still serves as a model for other governments considering consolidation. In her position as Davidson County Historian, Bucy says she will be an advocate for local history.

"The job is to some degree what you make it," said Bucy. "I see my number one job as facilitating groups and organizations to collect and preserve their history."

Dr. Bucy has been teaching at Vol State for the last 16 years. She led the federally funded TEACH grant for six years. It reached more than 300 Middle Tennessee secondary school teachers in a professional development program to show teachers new ways to engage students and use direct sources for teaching history. Bucy has written two textbooks about American and Tennessee history that are being used by schools across the state. She is the current vice president of the Tennessee Historical Society.